ACG National Capital
Nominations are now open for this year’s Corporate Growth Awards in the “Growth Company of the Year” categories. The companies that are recognized as the “Growth Company of the Year” are those that have implemented and executed impeccable growth strategies. They’re the companies that have most adroitly navigated transformational mergers and acquisitions, or the companies that have experienced exponential organic growth in the preceding year.
To celebrate the opening of nominations and to share the stories of some of these incredible growth companies, Corporate Growth…Capital Style is bringing you a very special edition of the Dealbook – featuring interviews with some of the Corporate Growth Awards winners from the last few years.
These interviews include conversations with executives from award-winning companies of all sizes, in industries ranging from government contracting to home security. And while their industries, growth strategies and keys to success may differ, they’re all considered exceptional by their peers.
Sonatype Practices Constant Innovation
In order to keep up with the staggering pace of technological advancement in its industry, Chief Marketing Officer Matt Howard praised his company’s focus on fostering a culture of “continuous innovation” that places a premium on giving teams the flexibility to come up with new ways of doing things and answering customer needs.
Building that kind of innovative workforce gave Sonatype the edge it needed to scale up, take on new investments, and present the market with unique value.
Trowbridge Chose Its Own Pace of Growth
Despite the option to make acquisitions to accelerate growth, CEO Karen Trowbridge chose to hold off and solely grow organically. In doing so, they were able to grow while making use of small business and woman-owned set aside programs within the DoD, and because of this strategy, she told us, “we were able to make required investments in our infrastructure, management team, and solutions to ensure we would be well positioned for continued success after our graduation into the mid-tier market.”
Iron Vine Security Invests in Itself
As the company saw a rapid increase in growth over the past few years, co-founder Brent Duckworth shared that he and the rest of the leadership team invested a significant percentage of the profit into their back office infrastructure, quality programs and earning industry certifications. By making that investment, the Iron Vine team was more prepared to handle greater growth.
“No matter what work we are doing we need great talent, so we strive to create a culture that keeps the best people coming back,” CEO Anirudh Kulkarni told us as he explained the power of a value-driven business.
And those values—client focus, mutual respect, individual responsibility and growth, and uncompromising integrity—has also meant heavy investment in corporate programs like mentoring, personal development, and employee training and philanthropy. “These may not be related to the day-to-day work but they are the investments that make our employees stronger,” Mr. Kulkarni explained.
“Having values means living up to them even when it means passing up short term gains. These values have led our growth, innovative ideas, reputation, and lasting success.”
Do you think your company or one that you know should be in the running for a Corporate Growth Award? Click here.